Video Q+A: Dhani Jones Talks Travel, Sports, and His New Book

Fact: We live in an era marked by overachievers. Witness the declining average age of American Idol contestants; the proliferation of cats who play the piano; and football star Dhani Jones.

After 11 seasons as one of the NFL’s most indomitable bruisers, the Cincinnati Bengals linebacker has made a name for himself off the field as a thrill-seeking citizen of the world. Jones is an entrepreneur with his own charitable bow-tie company; an environmental advocate; a photographer, poet, and musician; and the host of Travel Channel’s “Dhani Tackles the Globe,” in which he competes in the native sport of a foreign country—everything from dragon boat racing in Singapore to capoeira in Brazil—and uses his interaction with trainers and teammates as a way into the culture. Now he can add author to that list.

In his new book, TheSportsman (Rodale Books), Jones espouses the emotional, spiritual, and educational benefits of his travels abroad, both personal and professional. A few weeks ago he stopped by our office on his way back from Argentina to brag about his trip, er, I mean give me a sneak peek at the book and tell me about some of his favorite post-flight experiences.

It’s enough to make you hate the guy—except that he’s so darn likeable. Check out the video Q+A below to see what I mean:

Q: What was your first trip abroad? What made it so memorable?

Q: You’ve obviously got tons of travel experience. What were your favorite personal and professional trips?

Q: Were there any places where you really felt like a foreigner? How did you overcome it?

Q: What’s an under-the-radar destination Carry On readers need to visit before the masses descend upon it?